Water System Report IA

Decorah Water Department

EPA ID: IA9630012 ยท 7,615 people served ยท 1 ZIP code

ZipCheckup's reading of EPA records for Decorah Water Department (IA9630012): no drinking-water violations recorded since 2021. Water monitoring history at Decorah Water Department, as reported to the EPA, contains no recorded violations; 7,615 residents are counted in its service population.

Data: EPA SDWIS

7,615
People Served
1
ZIP Code Served
0
Violations (since 2021)
Groundwater
Water Source
0.0094 mg/L
Most recent lead 90th percentile on record (monitoring period ending 2025-12-31)
Zone 1
County Radon Potential ยท High
0
Contaminants Flagged
$250K
Median Home Value in ZIP Codes Served

Service Area Map

Coverage area for Decorah Water Department Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.

Service area boundary

Demographics of ZIP Codes Served

$70,046
Median Household Income
12,539
Population of ZIP Codes Served (Census)
0%
Disadvantaged Population
30th
Poverty Percentile
70th
Energy Burden Percentile
69%
Pre-1986 Housing

The ZIP codes associated with Decorah Water Department have a median household income of $70,046 and about 12,539 residents live in those ZIP codes (Census; not the number of people this system supplies). Approximately 69% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

๐Ÿ’ง Where Does Your Water Come From?

Groundwater

Decorah Water Department's water is classified in EPA records as a groundwater source. Groundwater is naturally filtered through rock and soil, but it can be vulnerable to PFAS contamination, nitrates from agriculture, and industrial chemicals that seep into the water table.

Moderate Risk
Source Contamination Risk
50th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
10th
Superfund Site Proximity

Infrastructure Risk

64 yr
Estimated pipe age (modeled from housing age)
Galvanized Steel or Copper
Likely pipe material (modeled)
1 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Moderate Wear
Decay Status
Installed 98% of expected lifespan used (estimate) End of life

PFAS in ZIP Codes This System Serves

PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been reported in samples from water systems associated with the ZIP codes in this system's area. These results can come from other water systems serving the same ZIP codes; check the UCMR5 section for any results reported for this system. 1 detection recorded.

Health concern: Exposure to certain PFAS has been associated with some cancers and with immune and developmental effects; effects differ by compound. Many PFAS break down very slowly in the environment.
Recommended filter: An activated carbon filter certified under NSF/ANSI 53 or a reverse osmosis system certified under NSF/ANSI 58 for the PFAS listed in its certification. Find the right filter โ†’

Comparable Water Systems

Similar-sized systems in Iowa

Tiffin Water Supply
7,577 people
0 violations
Southeast Polk Rwd
7,565 people
0 violations
0 violations
Creston Water Supply
7,536 people
0 violations
2 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

PFAS Treatment
PFAS Treatment $500
Total Estimated Cost $500

Based on national averages for common remediation projects. Actual costs vary by property. Only issues flagged by EPA, FEMA, or state data for each ZIP code are included.

Cost of Inaction

Illustrative per-household cost scenario based on stated assumptions:

PFAS Exposure - Lifetime Cost $1,000

Per person (emerging research est.)

Estimated Cumulative Cost Per Household

5 years
$165
10 years
$330
20 years
$660

Compare: Estimated remediation cost is $500 (one-time) vs. $330 in estimated inaction costs over 10 years.

Individual costs vary by household size, property, and health factors. These estimates are for awareness, not financial advice.

System Overview

Decorah Water Department (EPA ID: IA9630012) is a community water system in Iowa that serves approximately 7,615 people from groundwater sources.

This system serves ZIP code 52101 in Decorah.

Violation History

No accepted violation records in the 2021-2026 window - The accepted EPA ECHO 2026Q2 snapshot contains zero violation records for this system whose record year falls from 2021 through 2026, inclusive. This is not a tap-water safety guarantee.

Lead & Copper

EPA Lead and Copper Rule evidence attributed directly to this water system:

Lead Level Exceeds Action Level Sample Date
0.0094 mg/L No 2025-12-31

No copper action-level exceedance record appears for this PWSID in the accepted LCR snapshot. This does not establish a clean copper measurement.

Radon Risk in Service Area

1 of 1 ZIP records with known zones is in EPA Radon Zone 1.

The EPA recommends testing all homes regardless of radon zone. County radon zones cannot replace an in-home radon test.

ZIP Codes Served

Coverage: Service area ZIP codes sourced from EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 (March 2026 release). These ZIPs reflect the actual deployment footprint recorded by IA or modeled from parcel and building-footprint data.

Data Sources

This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View available EPA compliance records for Decorah Water Department (IA9630012) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Decorah Water Department water safe to drink?

The accepted 2026Q2 ECHO snapshot contains zero violation records for Decorah Water Department in the inclusive 2021-2026 record-year window. This is a compliance-record finding, not a guarantee about water at a specific tap.

How many people does Decorah Water Department serve?

Decorah Water Department serves approximately 7,615 people across 1 ZIP code in Iowa.

Where does Decorah Water Department get its water?

The primary water source is groundwater.

Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: Detected

This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). PFAS compounds were detected; the table compares each one with the EPA MCL where one exists (April 2024 rule, compliance required from 2029) and with this state's enforceable standard where one exists.

Samples collected
348
Detections
2
Latest sample
11/13/2023
Highest analyte
PFBS: 7 ppt
Analyte Max detected EPA MCL (compliance required from 2029) Status
PFBS 7 ppt No federal MCL โ€”

EPA's April 2024 PFAS rule sets MCLs of 4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS and 10 ppt for PFHxS, PFNA and HFPO-DA (GenX); water systems must comply from 2029. Other PFAS compounds have no individual federal MCL. A state standard is shown only where this system's state has its own enforceable PFAS limit. Detection results are EPA UCMR5 samples, not a measurement at your tap.

Source: U.S. EPA UCMR5 (Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 5th cycle) โ€” per-system federal sampling, 2023โ€“2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program โ†’

Understand PFAS health context and filtration โ†’

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I use a water filter? ▼
No EPA drinking-water violations since 2021 are on record for Decorah Water Department; this page does not establish contaminant levels at your tap. That is a compliance record, not a guarantee about the water at your tap; a certified filter can target a specific contaminant you are concerned about.
How many people does Decorah Water Department serve? ▼
Decorah Water Department serves approximately 7,615 people with drinking water across 1 ZIP code.
What is Decorah Water Department's water source? ▼
Decorah Water Department draws water from groundwater sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
Is there lead in Decorah Water Department's water? ▼
The most recent 90th-percentile lead result on record is 0.0094 mg/L (sample period ending 2025-12-31). This is at or below the EPA lead action level, which triggers system action and is not a safe level; the EPA health goal for lead is zero.
What is the demographic profile of the ZIP codes associated with Decorah Water Department? ▼
The ZIP codes mapped to Decorah Water Department have a median household income of $70,046 (Census ZIP-code estimate). Demographic data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and EPA EJScreen.
Where does Decorah Water Department get its water? ▼
Decorah Water Department's water is classified in EPA records as a groundwater source. Groundwater is naturally filtered through rock and soil, but it can be vulnerable to PFAS contamination, nitrates from agriculture, and industrial chemicals that seep into the water table. Based on the available data, the modeled source-contamination category is moderate; test local water to assess actual exposure.

How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (n.d.). Decorah Water Department Water Quality Report, IA. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/ia9630012/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-water-system-ia9630012,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Decorah Water Department Water Quality Report, IA}},
  year   = {n.d.},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/ia9630012/}
}
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